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Dusi V, Pennisi F, Fortini D, Atarés A, Wenkel S, Molesini B, Pandolfini T. Involvement of the tomato BBX16 and BBX17 microProteins in reproductive development. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2024; 213:108873. [PMID: 38914037 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.108873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
BBXs are B-Box zinc finger proteins that can act as transcription factors and regulators of protein complexes. Several BBX proteins play important roles in plant development. Two Arabidopsis thaliana microProteins belonging to the BBX family, named miP1a and miP1b, homotypically interact with and modulate the activity of other BBX proteins, including CONSTANS, which transcriptionally activates the florigen, FLOWERING LOCUS T. Arabidopsis plants overexpressing miP1a and miP1b showed delayed flowering. In tomato, the closest homologs of miP1a and miP1b are the microProteins SlBBX16 and SlBBX17. This study was aimed at investigating whether the constitutive expression of SlBBX16/17 in Arabidopsis and tomato impacted reproductive development. The heterologous expression of the two tomato microProteins in Arabidopsis caused a delay in the flowering transition; however, the effect was weaker than that observed when the native miP1a/b were overexpressed. In tomato, overexpression of SlBBX17 prolonged the flowering period; this effect was accompanied by downregulation of the flowering inhibitors Self Pruning (SP) and SP5G. SlBBX16 and SlBBX17 can hetero-oligomerize with TCMP-2, a cystine-knot peptide involved in flowering pattern regulation and early fruit development in tomato. The increased expression of both microProteins also caused alterations in tomato fruit development: we observed in the case of SlBBX17 a decrease in the number and size of ripe fruits as compared to WT plants, while for SlBBX16, a delay in fruit production up to the breaker stage. These effects were associated with changes in the expression of GA-responsive genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Dusi
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie, 15, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Federica Pennisi
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie, 15, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Daniela Fortini
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie, 15, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Alejandro Atarés
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (UPV-CSIC), Universitat Politècnica de València, Ingeniero Fausto Elio s/n, 46011, Valencia, Spain
| | - Stephan Wenkel
- Department of Plant Physiology, Plant Science Centre, University of Umeå, Linnaeus väg 6, 907 36, Umeå, Sweden; NovoCrops Center, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Barbara Molesini
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie, 15, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Tiziana Pandolfini
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie, 15, 37134, Verona, Italy.
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Baranov D, Dolgov S, Timerbaev V. New Advances in the Study of Regulation of Tomato Flowering-Related Genes Using Biotechnological Approaches. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:359. [PMID: 38337892 PMCID: PMC10856997 DOI: 10.3390/plants13030359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
The tomato is a convenient object for studying reproductive processes, which has become a classic. Such complex processes as flowering and fruit setting require an understanding of the fundamental principles of molecular interaction, the structures of genes and proteins, the construction of signaling pathways for transcription regulation, including the synchronous actions of cis-regulatory elements (promoter and enhancer), trans-regulatory elements (transcription factors and regulatory RNAs), and transposable elements and epigenetic regulators (DNA methylation and acetylation, chromatin structure). Here, we discuss the current state of research on tomatoes (2017-2023) devoted to studying the function of genes that regulate flowering and signal regulation systems using genome-editing technologies, RNA interference gene silencing, and gene overexpression, including heterologous expression. Although the central candidate genes for these regulatory components have been identified, a complete picture of their relationship has yet to be formed. Therefore, this review summarizes the latest achievements related to studying the processes of flowering and fruit set. This work attempts to display the gene interaction scheme to better understand the events under consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Baranov
- Laboratory of Expression Systems and Plant Genome Modification, Branch of Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Russia; (D.B.); (S.D.)
- Laboratory of Plant Genetic Engineering, All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, 127550 Moscow, Russia
| | - Sergey Dolgov
- Laboratory of Expression Systems and Plant Genome Modification, Branch of Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Russia; (D.B.); (S.D.)
- Laboratory of Plant Genetic Engineering, All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, 127550 Moscow, Russia
| | - Vadim Timerbaev
- Laboratory of Expression Systems and Plant Genome Modification, Branch of Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Russia; (D.B.); (S.D.)
- Laboratory of Plant Genetic Engineering, All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, 127550 Moscow, Russia
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Talar U, Kiełbowicz-Matuk A. Beyond Arabidopsis: BBX Regulators in Crop Plants. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22062906. [PMID: 33809370 PMCID: PMC7999331 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22062906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
B-box proteins represent diverse zinc finger transcription factors and regulators forming large families in various plants. A unique domain structure defines them—besides the highly conserved B-box domains, some B-box (BBX) proteins also possess CCT domain and VP motif. Based on the presence of these specific domains, they are mostly classified into five structural groups. The particular members widely differ in structure and fulfill distinct functions in regulating plant growth and development, including seedling photomorphogenesis, the anthocyanins biosynthesis, photoperiodic regulation of flowering, and hormonal pathways. Several BBX proteins are additionally involved in biotic and abiotic stress response. Overexpression of some BBX genes stimulates various stress-related genes and enhanced tolerance to different stresses. Moreover, there is evidence of interplay between B-box and the circadian clock mechanism. This review highlights the role of BBX proteins as a part of a broad regulatory network in crop plants, considering their participation in development, physiology, defense, and environmental constraints. A description is also provided of how various BBX regulators involved in stress tolerance were applied in genetic engineering to obtain stress tolerance in transgenic crops.
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